Portland, ORE. — Portland and Mayor Hales were honored today at an awards ceremony in Mexico City. The C40 Cities Awards recognize the world’s most inspiring and innovative cities tackling climate change. Sponsored by Bloomberg Philanthropies and BYD, the C40 Cities Awards ceremony was held during the C40 Mayors Summit, where more than 40 mayors from around the world gathered to create sustainable and livable cities for their communities.

“Portland has been a world leader in ‪climate action for over two decades. We were the first U.S. city to adopt a climate action plan. We were the first to bring back the modern streetcar. Now with our updated 2015 Climate Action Plan and proposed Fossil Fuel Terminal Zoning Amendments, we’ll be the first to deliberately transition from dirty, dangerous fuels to ‪clean, ‪renewable ‪energy,” said Mayor Hales. “I want to thank the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group and my mayoral colleagues for recognizing Portland’s trailblazing efforts to make our city one of the most sustainable in the world."

Portland’s 2015 Climate Action Plan (CAP) won this year’s award in “Climate Action Plans & Inventories.” The overarching goal of Portland's CAP is to deliver an integrated set of strategies by 2020 to keep Portland on a path to reduce GHG emissions 40 percent by 2030 and 80 percent by 2050. The proportion of citizens travelling primarily by public transport, cycling or walking is expected to rise to 50 percent, and the number of electric vehicles is set to increase four-fold to 8,000. The CAP aims to reduce energy use in existing buildings by 1.7 percent annually, resulting in an annual GHG emissions reduction of 280,000 metric tons in 2020.

"Much of our local efforts to combat climate change is made possible through the outstanding professional and expert staff work in Portland’s Bureau of Planning and Sustainability. Not only will Portland’s bold climate actions make positive benefits to our local community for years to come, it shows the way for many more mayors and national leaders to follow our lead before it’s too late to stave off some of the most catastrophic effects of climate change,” said Hales.

"Cities are a key part of the solution to climate change. Thanks to the efforts of residents, businesses and organizations, Portland’s carbon emissions continue to decline – already 21 percent below 1990 levels," said Susan Anderson, Portland Bureau of Planning and Sustainability Director. "With direction from the Climate Action Plan, Portland is ready to take the next steps to reach our ambitious goals – like energy scores for residential and commercial buildings, expanding our share of electric vehicles, and investing in infrastructure, such as community solar projects, that advance equitable climate action outcomes."

For more information about Portland’s 2015 Climate Action Plan, visit the Bureau of Planning and Sustainability HERE.

“On behalf of C40, I want to congratulate all the winning cities for their commitment to their citizens and their dedication to tackling climate change,” said outgoing C40 Chair and Rio de Janeiro Mayor Eduardo Paes. “Throughout my tenure as C40 Chair, I have been increasingly impressed by the caliber of the C40 Cities Award winners, and I look forward to seeing other mayors around the world adapting and implementing these models in their own cities.”

“The C40 Cities Awards recognize the best and boldest work being done by mayors to fight climate change and protect people from risks,” said C40 President of the Board and U.N. Secretary General’s Special Envoy for Cities and Climate Change Michael R. Bloomberg. “The winning projects show that great progress is being made on every continent, and they serve as an inspiration to other cities. They also show how cities can help the world meet the ambitious goals set a year ago in Paris.”

An expert jury panel comprised of former mayors, climate experts and others, selected ten winning urban sustainability projects based on excellence in urban planning and dedication to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving resiliency. The selected cities exemplified the best policies, projects and programs globally, and for the first time included a category recognizing social equity.

Follow the C40 Cities Awards on social media with #C40Awards and the C40 Mayors Summit with the hashtag #Cities4Climate.

About the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group

The C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group, now in its 11th year, connects more than 85 of the world’s greatest cities, representing 650+ million people and one quarter of the global economy. Created and led by cities, C40 is focused on tackling climate change and driving urban action that reduces greenhouse gas emissions and climate risks, while increasing the health, wellbeing and economic opportunities of urban citizens. The current chair of the C40 is Rio de Janeiro Mayor Eduardo Paes; Mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo is Chair-elect; and three-term Mayor of New York City Michael R. Bloomberg serves as President of the Board. C40’s work is made possible by our three strategic funders: Bloomberg Philanthropies, Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF), and Realdania. To learn more about the work of C40 and our cities, please visit www.c40.org, follow us on Twitter @c40cities or Instagram @c40cities and like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/C40Cities.

About Bloomberg Philanthropies

Bloomberg Philanthropies works in over 120 countries around the world to ensure better, longer lives for the greatest number of people. The organization focuses on five key areas for creating lasting change: Arts, Education, Environment, Government Innovation and Public Health. Bloomberg Philanthropies encompasses all of Michael R. Bloomberg’s charitable activities, including his foundation and his personal giving. In 2015, Bloomberg Philanthropies distributed over half a billion dollars. For more information, please visit bloomberg.org or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and Twitter @BloombergDotOrg.

About BYD

Since its inception in 1995 in Shenzhen, China, BYD Company Ltd. quickly grew into a green-tech giant and relentless advocate of sustainable development, as well as a pioneer in successfully expanding its New Energy solutions globally. Specializing in battery technologies, its sustainability mission to create a Zero Emission Energy Ecosystem – comprising affordable solar power generation, reliable energy storage and cutting-edge electrified transportation – has made the company an industry leader in the energy and technology sectors. BYD and its shareholders – among them notable American investor Warren Buffett – see sustainable development through technological advancement in products and solutions as the only way into the future. In 2016, the company was granted the Large Corporation Award of the Zayed Future Energy Prize for its solid contribution to sustainable development in the energy sector. For more information, please visit us at www.byd.com or www.facebook.com/bydcompany or http://www.c40.org/custom_pages/c40-cities-awards-partners.